Methods and system for transferring multimedia content using an existing digital sound transfer protocol

ABSTRACT

There are provided methods and systems for transferring multimedia content using an existing digital sound transfer protocol. A system for processing multimedia content for transfer over one or more networks includes a transformation device ( 211 ) and a reconstruction device ( 251 ). The transformation device ( 211 ) is for transforming a multimedia file into a sound file for subsequent transfer over the one or more networks using an existing digital sound transfer protocol. The multimedia file represents the multimedia content. The reconstruction device ( 251 ) is for reconstructing the multimedia content from the sound file, after the sound file has been transferred.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present principles relate generally to multimedia and, moreparticularly, to methods and systems for transferring multimedia contentusing an existing digital sound transfer protocol.

BACKGROUND

Currently, the capabilities of the second generation of the GlobalSystem for Mobile Communications (GSM) in Europe and the PersonalCommunications Service (PCS) in the United States with respect totransferring multimedia content, including, for example, video content,are limited due to the difficulties encountered in accomplishing thesame.

The Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) provides onesolution for transferring multimedia content using a telephony network,but also includes at least one significant disadvantage. Namely, thecost is very high for each operator and, consequently, for the client aswell.

Hence, UMTS is too expensive. This is the main reason which motivatesoperators in mobile telephony to search for less expensive alternativesfor transferring multimedia content over a mobile telephony network.

SUMMARY

These and other drawbacks and disadvantages of the prior art areaddressed by the present principles, which are directed to methods andsystems for transferring multimedia content using an existing digitalsound transfer protocol.

According to an aspect of the present principles, there is provided asystem for processing multimedia content for transfer over one or morenetworks. The system includes a transformation device and areconstruction device. The transformation device is for transforming amultimedia file into a sound file for subsequent transfer over the oneor more networks using an existing digital sound transfer protocol. Themultimedia file represents the multimedia content. The reconstructiondevice is for reconstructing the multimedia content from the sound file,after the sound file has been transferred.

According to another aspect of the present principles, there is provideda method for processing multimedia content for transfer over one or morenetworks. The method includes transforming a multimedia file into asound file for subsequent transfer over the one or more networks usingan existing digital sound transfer protocol. The multimedia filerepresents the multimedia content. The method further includesreconstructing the multimedia content from the sound file, after thesound file has been transferred.

According to yet another aspect of the present principles, there isprovided a computer program product comprising a computer usable mediumhaving computer usable program code for processing multimedia contentfor transfer over one or more networks. The computer program productincludes computer usable program code for transforming a multimedia fileinto a sound file for subsequent transfer over the one or more networksusing an existing digital sound transfer protocol. The multimedia filerepresents the multimedia content. The computer program product furtherincludes computer usable program code for reconstructing the multimediacontent from the sound file, after the sound file has been transferred.

According to still another aspect of the present principles, there isprovided a system for transferring multimedia content. The systemincludes a transformation device, one or more networks, and areconstruction device. The transformation device is for transforming amultimedia file into a sound file for subsequent transfer. Themultimedia file represents the multimedia content. The one or morenetworks have an existing digital sound transfer protocol. Thereconstruction device is for reconstructing the multimedia content fromthe sound file, after the sound file has been transferred. The soundfile is transferred from the transformation device to the reconstructiondevice over the one or more networks using the existing digital soundtransfer protocol.

According to a further aspect of the present principles, there isprovided a method for transferring multimedia content. The methodincludes transforming a multimedia file into a sound file. Themultimedia file represents the multimedia content. The method furtherincludes transferring the sound file over one or more networks using anexisting digital sound transfer protocol of at least one of the at leastone network. The method also includes reconstructing the multimediacontent from the sound file, after the sound file has been transferred.

These and other aspects, features and advantages of the presentprinciples will become apparent from the following detailed descriptionof exemplary embodiments, which is to be read in connection with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present principles may be better understood in accordance with thefollowing exemplary figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a computer processing system 100to which the present principles may be applied, according to anembodiment of the present principles;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for an exemplary system 200 for transferringmultimedia content using an existing digital sound transfer protocol, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present principles;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram for another exemplary system 300 fortransferring multimedia content using an existing digital sound transferprotocol, in accordance with an embodiment of the present principles;

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram for an exemplary method 400 for transferringmultimedia content using an existing digital sound transfer protocol, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present principles;

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram for an exemplary method 500 for transforming amultimedia file into a sound file, in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present principles; and

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram for an exemplary method 600 for reconstructinga multimedia file from a sound file in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present principles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present principles are directed to methods and systems fortransferring multimedia content using an existing digital sound transferprotocol.

The present description illustrates the present principles. It will thusbe appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devisevarious arrangements that, although not explicitly described or shownherein, embody the present principles and are included within its spiritand scope.

All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended forpedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the presentprinciples and the concepts contributed by the inventor(s) to furtheringthe art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to suchspecifically recited examples and conditions.

Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, andembodiments of the present principles, as well as specific examplesthereof, are intended to encompass both structural and functionalequivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that such equivalentsinclude both currently known equivalents as well as equivalentsdeveloped in the future, i.e., any elements developed that perform thesame function, regardless of structure.

Thus, for example, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the artthat the block diagrams presented herein represent conceptual views ofillustrative circuitry embodying the present principles. Similarly, itwill be appreciated that any flow charts, flow diagrams, statetransition diagrams, pseudocode, and the like represent variousprocesses which may be substantially represented in computer readablemedia and so executed by a computer or processor, whether or not suchcomputer or processor is explicitly shown.

The functions of the various elements shown in the figures may beprovided through the use of dedicated hardware as well as hardwarecapable of executing software in association with appropriate software.When provided by a processor, the functions may be provided by a singlededicated processor, by a single shared processor, or by a plurality ofindividual processors, some of which may be shared. Moreover, explicituse of the term “processor” or “controller” should not be construed torefer exclusively to hardware capable of executing software, and mayimplicitly include, without limitation, digital signal processor (“DSP”)hardware, read-only memory (“ROM”) for storing software, random accessmemory (“RAM”), and non-volatile storage.

Other hardware, conventional and/or custom, may also be included.Similarly, any switches shown in the figures are conceptual only. Theirfunction may be carried out through the operation of program logic,through dedicated logic, through the interaction of program control anddedicated logic, or even manually, the particular technique beingselectable by the implementer as more specifically understood from thecontext.

In the claims hereof, any element expressed as a means for performing aspecified function is intended to encompass any way of performing thatfunction including, for example, a) a combination of circuit elementsthat performs that function or b) software in any form, including,therefore, firmware, microcode or the like, combined with appropriatecircuitry for executing that software to perform the function. Thepresent principles as defined by such claims reside in the fact that thefunctionalities provided by the various recited means are combined andbrought together in the manner which the claims call for. It is thusregarded that any means that can provide those functionalities areequivalent to those shown herein.

Reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” ofthe present principles means that a particular feature, structure,characteristic, and so forth described in connection with the embodimentis included in at least one embodiment of the present principles. Thus,the appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment”appearing in various places throughout the specification are notnecessarily all referring to the same embodiment.

It is to be appreciated that the use of the terms “and/or” and “at leastone of”, for example, in the cases of “A and/or B” and “at least one ofA and B”, is intended to encompass the selection of the first listedoption (A) only, or the selection of the second listed option (B) only,or the selection of both options (A and B). As a further example, in thecases of “A, B, and/or C” and “at least one of A, B, and C”, suchphrasing is intended to encompass the selection of the first listedoption (A) only, or the selection of the second listed option (B) only,or the selection of the third listed option (C) only, or the selectionof the first and the second listed options (A and B) only, or theselection of the first and third listed options (A and C) only, or theselection of the second and third listed options (B and C) only, or theselection of all three options (A and B and C). This may be extended, asreadily apparent by one of ordinary skill in this and related arts, foras many items listed.

It is to be appreciated that while various embodiments of the presentprinciples described herein relate to the use of WAV files as one typeof digital sound file to which the present principles may be applied, itis to be appreciated that the present principles are not limited solelyto the use of WAV files and, thus, other types of digital sound filesmay also be used, while maintaining the spirit of the presentprinciples. Preferably, the type of digital sound file used is alossless type of digital sound file, so that the original contentincluded in the multimedia file from which the sound file is created maybe preserved in its entirety. Thus, in the case of WAV files, while anon-PCM modulation technique may be used to generate such WAV files, itis preferable to use Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) modulation which may beconfigured to provide such lossless capability.

It is to be further appreciated that as used herein, the term“multimedia” refers to content or a file that includes at least twodifferent types of media that are directly perceptible to a user (suchas video and/or data that is seen and audio that is heard, versus, forexample, data (hereinafter referred to as “other data”) such as, but notlimited to, side data that is not seen by a user, but rather may actupon data that is seen by a user). While it is to also be appreciatedthat the multimedia file may include such other data and, further, thatthe present principles are also readily capable of dealing with suchother data in the herein described transformation and reconstructionprocesses, it is to be appreciated that the “multi” aspect of the termmultimedia as used herein with respect to a “multimedia file” isnonetheless directed to the transformation of at least two differenttypes of data that are directly perceptible to a user. Hence, thepresent principles are particularly suited to movies, for example, asrepresented by MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 AVC files, as such movies will have avideo component and an audio component in the case of non-silent movies,where both components are directly perceptible to a user. Advertisementshaving a video component and an audio component would also beparticularly suited for use in accordance with the present principles.

As noted above, the present principles are directed to methods andsystems for transferring multimedia content using an existing digitalsound transfer protocol. It is to be appreciated that the file of themultimedia content to be transferred can originally be of any form.

For example, a video sequence may be represented by, but is not limitedto, any of the following file formats: audio video interleave (AVI); theInternational Organization for Standardization/InternationalElectrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC) Moving Picture Experts Group-1(MPEG-1) Standard; the ISO/IEC MPEG-2 Standard, the InternationalTelecommunication Union, Telecommunication Sector (ITU-T) H.263Recommendation; the ISO/IEC MPEG-4 Part 2 Advanced Video Coding (AVC)Standard (hereinafter the “MPEG-4 Part 2 Standard”); the ISO/IEC MPEG-4Part 10 Advanced Video Coding (AVC) standard/ITU-T H.264 recommendation(hereinafter the “MPEG-4 AVC standard”); and so forth

An image may be represented by, but is not limited to, any of thefollowing file formats: joint photographic experts group (JPEG); JPG;JPE; JFIF; JIF; bitmap (BMP); tagged image file format (TIFF); taggedimage file format/electronic photography (TIFF/EP); graphics interchangeformat (GIF); portable network graphics (PNG); and so forth.

Data may be represented by, but is not limited to, any of the followingfile formats: text; RAR; portable document format (PDF); ZIP; ASCII, andso forth.

An illustrative overview of an exemplary embodiment of the presentprinciples will now be described. However, it is to be appreciated that,given the teachings of the present principles provided herein, one ofordinary skill in this and related arts will contemplate this andvarious other embodiments and variations thereof, while maintaining thespirit of the present principles.

In the embodiment, the multimedia content is input to a binaryconversion process that converts the multimedia content intocorresponding, representative binary values.

The binary data is then transformed into a digital sound file using atransformation process as described in further detail herein below. Inan embodiment, the sound file may be, but is not limited to, a WAV file.In an embodiment, the WAV file has a frequency represented by a variablehereinafter referred to as “FS” (with the unit of measure in, e.g.,Hertz) and a number of bits represented by a variable hereinafterreferred to as “NBITS”. The WAV file may be, for example, a WAV fileusing a lossy modulation format, a WAV file using a lossless modulationformat (e.g., pulse code modulation (PCM)), and so forth.

It is to be appreciated that the transformation of a multimedia fileinto a sound file is identical for all types of multimedia files. Thatis, the transformation ignores the nature and structure of themultimedia file. Accordingly, a JPEG, MPEG-2 and RAR file is read in thesame way in order to obtain representative binary values. In particular,in the case of files corresponding to the MPEG-2 Standard or the MPEG-4AVC Standard, the synchronization between the video part and the audiopart is not changed during the transformation, but is instead preserved.

The WAV file, which includes the digital sounds corresponding to theabove multimedia content, will be transferred to the destination with anexisting protocol used to carry digital sounds.

When the WAV file having the digital sounds is received, the multimediacontent may be recovered intact using a recovery process as described infurther detail herein below.

In an embodiment, the quality of the multimedia content that isrecovered is identical to the quality of the multimedia content prior tothe binary conversion. That is, one or more embodiments of the presentprinciples provide a lossless way to transform, transfer, andreconstruct the multimedia content. If course, such absence of lossrefers to aspects of the present principles relating to transformationand reconstruction of multimedia content with respect to a sound file,and not to any compression initially applied to the multimedia contentsuch as, for example, when the multimedia content that is input into asystem in accordance with the present principles is already compressedsuch as in the case of a file encoded in accordance with the MPEG-4 AVCStandard.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a computer processing system 100to which the present principles may be applied, according to anembodiment of the present principles. It is to be appreciated that thecomputer processing system 100 may be implemented in another device. Forexample, in an embodiment, the computer processing system 100 isimplemented in a mobile telephone. Of course, the present principles arenot limited to computer processing systems implemented in mobiletelephones and, thus, the present principles may be implemented in otherdevices while maintaining the spirit of the present principles. Forexample, personal digital assistants, tablets, e-books, and so forth arejust some of the types of devices that include a computer processingsystem to which the present principles may be applied, while maintainingthe spirit of the present principles.

The computer processing system 100 includes at least one processor (CPU)102 operatively coupled to other components via a system bus 104. A readonly memory (ROM) 106, a random access memory (RAM) 108, a displayadapter 110, an I/O adapter 112, a user interface adapter 114, a soundadapter 170, and a network adapter 198, are operatively coupled to thesystem bus 104.

A display device 116 is operatively coupled to system bus 104 by displayadapter 110. A storage device (e.g., a magnetic or optical disk storagedevice) 118 is operatively coupled to system bus 104 by I/O adapter 112.

A keyboard 122 is operatively coupled to system bus 104 by userinterface adapter 114. The keyboard 122 is used to input and outputinformation to and from system 100. Of course, the computer processingsystem 100 is not limited to solely keyboards with respect to inputdevices and, thus, other input devices may also be used, whilemaintaining the spirit of the present principles.

At least one speaker (herein after “speaker”) 185 is operatively coupledto system bus 104 by sound adapter 170.

A (digital and/or analog) modem 196 is operatively coupled to system bus104 by network adapter 198. The modem 196 is preferably a wirelessmodem, such that the sound file to be transferred may be so transferredwirelessly using a wireless communication protocol. Preferably, suchwireless communication protocol is an existing digital sound transferprotocol.

It is to be appreciated that the elements of the computer processingsystem 100 and the configurations of such elements thereof are merelyillustrative and, thus, implementations of a computer processing systemto which the present principles may be applied are not limited to thepreceding elements and configurations. Thus, given the teachings of thepresent principles provided herein, one of ordinary skill in this andrelated arts will contemplate this and various other elements andcorresponding arrangements, and variations thereof, while maintainingthe spirit of the present principles. Accordingly, in other embodiments,one or more elements may be omitted and/or one or more elements may beadded, and/or different configurations of the elements may exist, allwhile maintaining the spirit of the present principles.

Turning to FIG. 2, an exemplary system for transferring multimediacontent using an existing digital sound transfer protocol is indicatedgenerally by the reference numeral 200.

The system 200 includes a transformation device 211 and a reconstructiondevice 251. In an embodiment, the transformation device 211 is disposedin a transmitting device 210, and the reconstruction device 251 isdisposed in a receiving device 250.

In an embodiment, the transmitting device 210 and the receiving device250 are implemented as respective mobile telephones. Of course,implementations of the transmitting device 210 and the receiving device250 are not limited to solely mobile telephones and, thus, other typesof devices may also be used, while maintaining the spirit of the presentprinciples. For example, personal digital assistants, tablets, e-books,and so forth are just some of the types of devices to which the presentprinciples may be applied, while maintaining the spirit of the presentprinciples.

Communications between the transmitting device 210 and thereconstruction device 251 are performed over one or more networks(hereinafter simply “network” for brevity) 280.

In the case when the transmitting device 210 and the receiving device250 are implemented as respective mobile telephones, any of thetransmitting device 210 and the receiving device 250 may include acamera 262, a display 264, and a speaker 266. As an example, the camera262 in the receiving device 210 may be used to capture a video sequencefrom which the multimedia file is generated. As an example, suchmultimedia file may be an MPEG-2 file. The transformation device 211 inthe transmitting device 210 (e.g., the mobile telephone) may be used totransform the MPEG-2 file into a sound file. The reconstruction device251 in the receiving device 250 may be used to reconstruct the soundfile from the MPEG-2 file after the sound file is transferred over thenetwork 280 using, for example, the existing digital sound transferprotocol of the network 280. The display device 264 in the receivingdevice 250 may be used to display a video portion of the multimediacontent corresponding to the reconstructed multimedia file (e.g., thereconstructed MPEG-2 file), and the speaker 266 in the receiving device250 may be used to audibly reproduce an audio portion of the multimediacontent corresponding to the reconstructed multimedia file.

It is to be appreciated that the elements and arrangement thereof of thesystem 200 of FIG. 2 are merely illustrative. Thus, given the teachingsof the present principles provided herein, one of ordinary skill in thisand related arts will contemplate this and various other elements andcorresponding arrangements, and variations thereof, while maintainingthe spirit of the present principles. Accordingly, in other embodiments,one or more elements may be omitted and/or one or more elements may beadded, and/or different configurations of the elements may exist, allwhile maintaining the spirit of the present principles.

For example, while in the embodiment shown and described with respect toFIG. 2 shows the transformation device 211 disposed in the transmittingdevice 210 and the reconstruction device 251 disposed in the receivingdevice 250, in another embodiment, the transformation device 211 may bedisposed separate from the transmitting device 210, and thereconstruction device 251 may be disposed separate from the receivingdevice 250, so that the transformation device 211 and reconstructiondevice 251 are implemented as separate elements with respect to thetransmitting device 210 and the receiving device 250. In such a case,the transformation device 211 is provided with the capability to providethe transformed multimedia content (e.g., the WAV file) to thetransmitting device 210 for transmission, and the reconstruction device251 is provided with the capability to receive the transformedmultimedia content from the receiving device 250. Moreover, in yetanother embodiment, it is to be appreciated that the transformationdevice 211 may be included in a device (e.g., a mobile phone, a PDA, anE-book, and so forth) that, in turn, also includes the transmittingdevice 210, and that the reconstruction device 251 may each be includedin another device, that, in turn, also includes the receiving device250. Given the teachings of the present principles provided herein,these and other variations and implementations of the elements of FIG. 2are readily contemplated by one of ordinary skill in this and relatedarts, while maintaining the spirit of the present principles.

Turning to FIG. 3, another exemplary system for transferring multimediacontent using an existing digital sound transfer protocol is indicatedgenerally by the reference numeral 300.

The system 300 includes a transformation device 311 and a reconstructiondevice 351. In an embodiment, the transformation device 311 is disposedin a transmitting device 310, and the reconstruction device 351 isdisposed in a receiving device 350.

In an embodiment, the transmitting device 310 is implemented as amultimedia server and the receiving device 350 is implemented as amobile telephone. Of course, implementations of the transmitting device310 and the receiving device 350 are not limited to solely servers andmobile telephones and, thus, other types of devices may also be used,while maintaining the spirit of the present principles.

Communications between the transmitting device 310 and thereconstruction device 351 are performed over one or more networks(hereinafter simply “network” for brevity) 380.

In the case when the receiving device 350 is implemented as a mobiletelephone, the receiving device 350 may include a display 364 and aspeaker 366. The receiving device 350 may or may not also include acamera 362. The user of the mobile telephone may place an order for, forexample, a movie that is represented as an MPEG-2 file. Thetransformation device 311 in the transmitting device 310 (e.g., theserver) may be used to transform the MPEG-2 file into a sound file. Thereconstruction device 351 in the receiving device 350 may be used toreconstruct the MPEG-2 file from the sound file after the sound file istransferred over the network 380 using, for example, the existingdigital sound transfer protocol of the network 380. The display device364 in the receiving device 350 may be used to display a video portionof the multimedia content corresponding to the reconstructed multimediafile (e.g., the reconstructed MPEG-2 file), and the speaker 366 in thereceiving device 350 may be used to audibly reproduce an audio portionof the multimedia content corresponding to the reconstructed multimediafile.

It is to be appreciated that the elements and arrangement thereof of thesystem 300 of FIG. 3 are merely illustrative. Thus, given the teachingsof the present principles provided herein, one of ordinary skill in thisand related arts will contemplate this and various other elements andcorresponding arrangements, and variations thereof, while maintainingthe spirit of the present principles. Accordingly, in other embodiments,one or more elements may be omitted and/or one or more elements may beadded, and/or different configurations of the elements may exist, allwhile maintaining the spirit of the present principles.

Turning to FIG. 4, an exemplary method for transferring multimediacontent using an existing digital sound transfer protocol is indicatedgenerally by the reference numeral 400. It is to be appreciated thatwhile the method 400 of FIG. 4 is described with respect to the elementsof FIG. 2 for the sake of illustration, it is equally applicable to thecorresponding elements of FIG. 3.

At step 405, a multimedia file, representative of multimedia content, isinput to a transformation device 211. In an embodiment, the multimediafile may represent one or more of, for example, data, images, and video.Moreover, the multimedia file may be a combination of, for example,audio and video.

At step 410, the multimedia file is transformed into a sound file usingthe transformation device 211. In an embodiment, the sound file may be,for example, a WAV file.

At step 415, the sound file is provided from the transformation device211 to the transmitting device 210. In an embodiment, such as that shownand described with respect to FIG. 2, where the transformation device211 is disposed in the transmitting device 250, step 415 may simplyinvolve, for example, transferring the sound file over a bus, and soforth.

At step 420, the sound file is transmitted from the transmitting device210 to the receiving device 250 over one or more networks 280 using, forexample, an existing digital sound transfer protocol.

At step 425, the sound file received by the receiving device 250 isprovided to the reconstruction device 251.

At step 430, the multimedia file is reconstructed from the sound fileusing the reconstruction device 251. In an embodiment, the multimediacontent as represented by the multimedia file reconstructed by thereconstruction device 251 is identical to the multimedia content priorto transformation by the transformation device 211.

At step 435, the content of the reconstructed multimedia file isreproduced (e.g., displayed and/or audibly reproduced) to a user.

The functionality of the transformation device 211 and thereconstruction device 251 will be described in further detail hereinbelow.

Turning to FIG. 5, an exemplary method for transforming a multimediafile into a sound file in accordance with an embodiment of the presentprinciples is indicated generally by the reference numeral 500. In anembodiment, the method 500 corresponds to step 410 of the method 400 ofFIG. 4.

At step 505, a multimedia content file is opened for reading.

At step 510, binary data is read from the multimedia content file, andwritten into a matrix Y with dimensions represented by “samples” and“channels”. The dimension “samples” represents the number of lines(rows) of the matrix Y, and the dimension “channels” represents thenumber of columns of matrix Y.

At step 515, it is determined whether the matrix Y is a vector. If so,then the method proceeds to step 520. Otherwise, the method proceeds tostep 525.

At step 520, the matrix Y is forced to be a column.

At step 525, create a sound file having the file name wavefile using asample rate represented by a variable “FS” (specified in, e.g., Hertz)and a number of bits represented by a variable hereinafter referred toas “NBITS”. In an embodiment, the value of NBITS is restricted to one of8, 16, 24, or 32.

At step 530, the following variables are calculated: bytes_per_sample;total_samples; and total_bytes. In an embodiment, the variables arecalculated as follows (where the operator “/” indicates division, theoperator “*” indicates multiplication, and the operator “+” indicatesaddition):

-   -   bytes_per_sample=integer(NBITS/8)    -   total_samples=samples*channels    -   total_bytes=total_samples*bytes_per_sample

Moreover, at step 530, the number of bytes in different chunks isdetermined with respect to the following variables: riff_cksize;fmt_cksize; and data_cksize. In an embodiment, the number of bytes indifferent chunks is calculated as follows:

-   -   riff_cksize=36+total_bytes    -   fmt_cksize=16    -   data_cksize=total_bytes.

At step 535, the WAV file is opened for writing, using a variable “fid”as the file identifier.

At step 540, chunk field structures are prepared. In an embodiment, eachchunk may include one or more of the following fields:

-   -   chunk.filename: wavefile    -   chunk.fid: fid    -   chunk.ID: 4 character string chunk identifier    -   chunk.Size: size of chunk    -   chunk.Data data of chunk

In an embodiment, the first two fields (chunk.filename and chunk.fid)are identical for all chunks.

At step 545, the RIFF chunk (but not the chunk data) is written asfollows:

-   -   chunk.ID “RIFF    -   chunk.Size=riff_cksize

At step 550, the WAV subchunk (but not the chunk data) is written asfollows:

-   -   chunk.ID=“WAVE”    -   chunk.Size=[]

At step 555, the <fmt-ck> chunk (but not the chunk data) is written asfollows:

-   -   chunk.ID=“fmt”    -   chunk.Size=fmf_cksize

At step 560, the <wave format> chunk is written as follows with thefollowing components:

fmt.filename=wavefile

fmt.DataEncodingFormat=1 if NBITS<32

-   -   =3 if NBITS=32

fmt.NumberOfChannnels=channels

fmt.NumberOfSamplesPerSecond=FS

fmt.AverageTransferRate=channels*bytes_per_sample*FS

fmt.BlockAlignment=channels*bytes_per_sample

fmt.NumberOfBitsPerSample=NBITS

At step 565, the <data-ck> chunk is written as follows:

chunk.ID data

chunk.Size data_cksize

At step 570, the wave data (values of matrix Y) is written. It is to beappreciated that step 570 involves the <wave format> structure to bepassed in order to obtain the wavefile.

Turning to FIG. 6, an exemplary method for reconstructing a multimediafile from a sound file in accordance with an embodiment of the presentprinciples is indicated generally by the reference numeral 600. In anembodiment, the method 600 corresponds to step 430 of the method 400 ofFIG. 4.

At step 605, the WAV file is opened for reading, using the variable fidas the file identifier.

At step 610, the first chunk is read, by searching from the current fileposition specified by the file identifier (fid).

At step 615, the RIFF file is verified as a wave data type.

At step 620, steps 610 and 615 are repeated in order to obtain <fmt-ck>chunk and the WAV subchunks.

At step 625, <wave format> chunk is read from one or more chunkstructure fields.

At step 630, the wave data chunk is read from one or more <wave format>structures and arranged into a matrix Y having the following dimensions:samples; and channels.

At step 635, a multimedia content file is opened for writing.

At step 640, the binary data included in matrix Y is written into themultimedia content file (opened at step 635).

It is to be appreciated that embodiments of the present principles maybe readily performed to obtain the intended result. For example,consider the following illustrative example. A video sequence encodedusing MPEG-4 and having a file size of 227,562 KB, with a resolution of640×480 and a duration of 44 minutes is transformed into a WAV file(e.g., as per step 410 of the method 400 of FIG. 4 and/or steps 505-570of the method 500 of FIG. 5) in less than 50 seconds. The reciprocalprocess (e.g., as per step 430 of the method 400 of FIG. 4 and/or steps605-640 of the method 600 of FIG. 6) also takes no more than 50 seconds.These results are obtained with a personal computer of the followingtype, with the following characteristics: TOSHIBA MSAT010AIV10 with 1 GBof RAM memory and an INTEL CENTRINO DUO T2400 processor having aprocessor speed of 1.83 GHz. The CPU time for the transformation dependson the characteristics of the video to be processed.

As is evident to one of ordinary skill in this and related arts, thepresent principles have broad applicability in many fields. For example,the present principles may be used, but are not limited to, thefollowing applications: mobile telephony; transmission of television bysatellite; and so forth.

An application of the present principles related to mobile telephonywill now be described. It is to be appreciated that FIGS. 2 and 3illustrate examples of systems involving mobile telephony.

As noted above, the second generation of Global System for MobileCommunications (GSM) in Europe and the Personal Communications Service(PCS) in the United States are both limited in their capability withrespect to transferring multimedia content including, for example, videocontent. Moreover, while the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System(UMTS) provides one solution for transferring multimedia content using atelephony network, the UMTS also includes at least one significantdisadvantage. Namely, the cost is very high for each operator and,consequently, for the client as well.

Advantageously, the present principles provides a solution totransferring multimedia content that is accurate and less complex thanprior art approaches, while doing so at a very low cost.

In a mobile telephony embodiment, two new functionalities may be addedinto the existing mobile telephone, such as one based on, but notlimited to, for example, GSM, PCS, and/or UMTS. These two newfunctionalities involve the transformation of multimedia content intodigital sounds, and the corresponding reciprocal process.

The purpose of the first transformation process in the mobile telephoneis to transform a video sequence, for example, captured by an integratedcamera of the mobile telephone, into digital sound. This same digitalsound will be transported to another mobile telephone using an existingprotocol of GSM, PCS, UMTS, and so forth.

The mobile operator could also use the first transformation process totransform a film into digital sound, and then send this sound to theclient's mobile telephone.

The purpose of the second transformation process is to re-transform thereceived digital sounds, as included in the received file (e.g., a WAVfile), into, e.g., a video sequence or into a film from a mobiletelephony operator or from another mobile telephone user.

Advantageously, the present principles provide a solution to thesaturation problem of the prior art and to the rarity of availablefrequencies for use in transferring multimedia content over a telephonynetwork. Embodiments of the present principles allow a mobile telephoneoperator to use its usual frequency (i.e., the frequency typicallyreserved for voice communications) or any other frequency to transportmultimedia content, with essentially no significant extra cost.

Thus, embodiments of the present principles will be able to use existingequipment and will not suffer from the present problem of scarcity ofavailable frequencies. Moreover, embodiments of the present principleswill contribute to environmental protection in that no extra relaystations will need to be fabricated and maintained to support thefeature of transferring multimedia content over a mobile telephonynetwork in accordance with the present principles.

Further, in the case of an area without a network of telephony orsatellite coverage, the present principles allow for the transfer ofmultimedia content by radio waves and the subsequent reconstruction ofsuch content on, for example, a display screen and/or one or morespeakers.

It is to be appreciated that the present principles may be implementedwith respect to any network capable of carrying digital sounds. A filmrecording in high definition will be able to transit to a frequencyother than that specified for transmission of high definition multimediacontent, while maintaining the high definition multimedia content intactat the receiving end.

It is to be further appreciated that a significant advantage is gainedby using a digital sound file to transfer a multimedia file. Forexample, the use of a digital sound file allows the digital sound fileand, hence, the multimedia content represented thereby, to betransmitted and received using a protocol that is typically reserved forvoice communications and which is the prevalent protocol used intelephony applications. In this way, the use of a separate protocol(dedicated for multimedia transmissions) and, in some cases, a separatechannel (dedicated for multimedia transmissions), may be avoided.Further in this way, the expensive cost and other undesirabledeficiencies associated with the prior art approaches are avoided.

A description will now be given of some of the many attendantadvantages/features of the present invention, some of which have beenmentioned above. For example, one advantage/feature is a system forprocessing multimedia content for transfer over one or more networks,where the system includes a transformation device and a reconstructiondevice. The transformation device is for transforming a multimedia fileinto a sound file for subsequent transfer over the one or more networksusing an existing digital sound transfer protocol. The multimedia filerepresents the multimedia content. The reconstruction device is forreconstructing the multimedia content from the sound file, after thesound file has been transferred.

Another advantage/feature is the system having the transformation deviceand the reconstruction device as described above, wherein the one ormore networks include a telephony network, and the existing digitalsound transfer protocol corresponds to an existing voice communicationstransfer protocol used by the telephony network.

Yet another advantage/feature is the system having the transformationdevice and the reconstruction device as described above, wherein atleast one of the one or more networks is restricted to transferringvoice communications using a protocol that is different than that usedfor multimedia, and the existing digital sound transfer protocolcorresponds to the protocol used for voice communications.

Moreover, another advantage/feature is the system having thetransformation device and the reconstruction device as described above,wherein at least one of the transformation device and the reconstructiondevice is included in a mobile telephone having at least one of a cameracapable of capturing a video sequence from which the multimedia file isgenerated and a display capable of displaying at least a portion of themultimedia content after reconstruction thereof.

Further, another advantage/feature is the system having thetransformation device and the reconstruction device as described above,wherein the transformation device transforms the multimedia file intothe sound file using a lossless transformation.

Also, another advantage/feature is the system having the transformationdevice and the reconstruction device as described above, where at leastone of the one or more networks corresponds to at least one of thePersonal Communications Service, the second generation of Global Systemfor Mobile Communications (GSM), and the Universal MobileTelecommunications System.

Additionally, another advantage/feature is the system having thetransformation device and the reconstruction device as described above,wherein the multimedia file includes at least one video sequence andcorresponding audio, which are both transformed into representativesound for inclusion into the sound file.

Moreover, another advantage/feature is a system for transferringmultimedia content, where the system includes a transformation device,one or more networks, and a reconstruction device. The transformationdevice is for transforming a multimedia file into a sound file forsubsequent transfer. The multimedia file represents the multimediacontent. The one or more networks have an existing digital soundtransfer protocol. The reconstruction device is for reconstructing themultimedia content from the sound file, after the sound file has beentransferred. The sound file is transferred from the transformationdevice to the reconstruction device over the one or more networks usingthe existing digital sound transfer protocol.

Further, another advantage/feature is the system having thetransformation device and the reconstruction device as described above,wherein the one or more networks include a telephony network, and theexisting digital sound transfer protocol corresponds to an existingvoice communications transfer protocol used by the telephony network.

These and other features and advantages of the present principles may bereadily ascertained by one of ordinary skill in the pertinent art basedon the teachings herein. It is to be understood that the teachings ofthe present principles may be implemented in various forms of hardware,software, firmware, special purpose processors, or combinations thereof.

Most preferably, the teachings of the present principles are implementedas a combination of hardware and software. Moreover, the software may beimplemented as an application program tangibly embodied on a programstorage unit. The application program may be uploaded to, and executedby, a machine comprising any suitable architecture. Preferably, themachine is implemented on a computer platform having hardware such asone or more central processing units (“CPU”), a random access memory(“RAM”), and input/output (“I/O”) interfaces. The computer platform mayalso include an operating system and microinstruction code. The variousprocesses and functions described herein may be either part of themicroinstruction code or part of the application program, or anycombination thereof, which may be executed by a CPU. In addition,various other peripheral units may be connected to the computer platformsuch as an additional data storage unit and a printing unit.

It is to be further understood that, because some of the constituentsystem components and methods depicted in the accompanying drawings arepreferably implemented in software, the actual connections between thesystem components or the process function blocks may differ dependingupon the manner in which the present principles are programmed. Giventhe teachings herein, one of ordinary skill in the pertinent art will beable to contemplate these and similar implementations or configurationsof the present principles.

Although the illustrative embodiments have been described herein withreference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that thepresent principles is not limited to those precise embodiments, and thatvarious changes and modifications may be effected therein by one ofordinary skill in the pertinent art without departing from the scope orspirit of the present principles. All such changes and modifications areintended to be included within the scope of the present principles asset forth in the appended claims.

1. A system for processing multimedia content for transfer over one ormore networks, comprising: a transformation device for transforming amultimedia file into a sound file for subsequent transfer over the oneor more networks using an existing digital sound transfer protocol, themultimedia file representing the multimedia content; and areconstruction device for reconstructing the multimedia content from thesound file, after the sound file has been transferred.
 2. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the one or more networks comprise a telephony network,and the existing digital sound transfer protocol corresponds to anexisting voice communications transfer protocol used by the telephonynetwork.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one ormore networks is restricted to transferring voice communications using aprotocol that is different than that used for multimedia, and theexisting digital sound transfer protocol corresponds to the protocolused for voice communications.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein atleast one of said transformation device and said reconstruction deviceis comprised in a mobile telephone having at least one of a cameracapable of capturing a video sequence from which the multimedia file isgenerated and a display capable of displaying at least a portion of themultimedia content after reconstruction thereof.
 5. The system of claim1, wherein said transformation device transforms the multimedia fileinto the sound file using a lossless transformation.
 6. The system ofclaim 1, where at least one of the one or more networks corresponds toat least one of the Personal Communications Service, the secondgeneration of Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), and theUniversal Mobile Telecommunications System.
 7. The system of claim 1,wherein the multimedia file comprises at least one video sequence andcorresponding audio, which are both transformed into representativesound for inclusion into the sound file.
 8. A method for processingmultimedia content for transfer over one or more networks, comprising:transforming a multimedia file into a sound file for subsequent transferover the one or more networks using an existing digital sound transferprotocol, the multimedia file representing the multimedia content; andreconstructing the multimedia content from the sound file, after thesound file has been transferred.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein theone or more networks comprise a telephony network, and the existingdigital sound transfer protocol corresponds to an existing voicecommunications transfer protocol used by the telephony network.
 10. Themethod of claim 8, wherein at least one of the one or more networks isrestricted to transferring voice communications using a protocol that isdifferent than that used for multimedia, and the existing digital soundtransfer protocol corresponds to the protocol used for voicecommunications.
 11. The method of claim 8, wherein said transformingstep is performed by a mobile telephone having a camera, and the methodfurther comprises generating the multimedia file using a video sequencecaptured by the camera.
 12. The method of claim 8, wherein saidtransforming step transforms the multimedia file into the sound fileusing a lossless transformation.
 13. The method of claim 8, where atleast one of the one or more networks corresponds to at least one of thePersonal Communications Service, the second generation of Global Systemfor Mobile Communications (GSM), and the Universal MobileTelecommunications System.
 14. The method of claim 8, wherein themultimedia file comprises at least one video sequence and correspondingaudio, which are both transformed into representative sound forinclusion into the sound file.
 15. A computer program product comprisinga computer usable medium having computer usable program code forprocessing multimedia content for transfer over one or more networks,said computer program product comprising: computer usable program codefor transforming a multimedia file into a sound file for subsequenttransfer over the one or more networks using an existing digital soundtransfer protocol, the multimedia file representing the multimediacontent; and computer usable program code for reconstructing themultimedia content from the sound file, after the sound file has beentransferred.
 16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein theone or more networks comprise a telephony network, and the existingdigital sound transfer protocol corresponds to an existing voicecommunications transfer protocol used by the telephony network.
 17. Thecomputer program product of claim 15, wherein at least one of the one ormore networks is restricted to transferring voice communications using aprotocol that is different than that used for multimedia, and theexisting digital sound transfer protocol corresponds to the protocolused for voice communications.
 18. The computer program product of claim15, wherein the computer program product is comprised in a mobiletelephone having at least one of a camera capable of capturing a videosequence from which the multimedia file is generated and a display fordisplaying at least a portion of the multimedia content afterreconstruction thereof.
 19. The computer program product of claim 15,wherein said computer usable program code for transforming themultimedia file into the sound file performs a lossless transformation.20. The computer program product of claim 15, where at least one of theone or more networks corresponds to at least one of the PersonalCommunications Service, the second generation of Global System forMobile Communications (GSM), and the Universal Mobile TelecommunicationsSystem.
 21. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein themultimedia file comprises at least one video sequence and correspondingaudio, which are both transformed into representative sound forinclusion into the sound file.
 22. A system for transferring multimediacontent, comprising: a transformation device for transforming amultimedia file into a sound file for subsequent transfer, themultimedia file representing the multimedia content; one or morenetworks having an existing digital sound transfer protocol; and areconstruction device for reconstructing the multimedia content from thesound file, after the sound file has been transferred, wherein the soundfile is transferred from the transformation device to the reconstructiondevice over the one or more networks using the existing digital soundtransfer protocol.
 23. The system of claim 22, wherein the one or morenetworks comprise a telephony network, and the existing digital soundtransfer protocol corresponds to an existing voice communicationstransfer protocol used by the telephony network.
 24. A method fortransferring multimedia content, comprising: transforming a multimediafile into a sound file, the multimedia file representing the multimediacontent; transferring the sound file over one or more networks using anexisting digital sound transfer protocol; and reconstructing themultimedia content from the sound file, after the sound file has beentransferred.
 25. The method of claim 24, wherein the one or morenetworks comprise a telephony network, and the existing digital soundtransfer protocol corresponds to an existing voice communicationstransfer protocol used by the telephony network.